A NEW STATE of the art research and development (R&D) laboratory has been commissioned by Ei Electronics at its Shannon-based headquarters.
From its inception in 1988, R&D has been the lifeblood of the Company’s business, underpinned by a strategy of collocating all key functions at its Global Headquarters in Shannon.
In the new lab, an experienced 30-strong team of engineers are served. They come from a range of disciplines including chemistry, physics, electrical and electronic design, mechanical and industrial design. The evolution of the Company’s product offering to include solutions for the Connected Home and IOT space has seen experts related to embedded, cloud & App software development, as well as machine learning / AI and data analytics join the team.
Commenting on the commissioning of the new laboratory, Mike Keegan, Head of R&D stated, “This state-of-the art laboratory, its equipment and its people enable us to remain at the very forefront of product development. Crucially for us and our customers it will result in reduced product development cycles, and more rigorous testing capabilities, leading to improved product quality”.
Officially opened by An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin (FF) in March of this year, the new Headquarters Building on the existing Ei Campus comprises a 10,000m2 facility and includes significant additional manufacturing capacity in addition to the Research and Development laboratory.
With a turnover in 2021 of €320m, and 1,250 employees worldwide, Ei Electronics commands a leadership position globally as a manufacturer of residential fire and carbon monoxide detection products. Ei is 100% Irish-owned and is in existence for over 55 years. Over 30 years ago it became a fully-fledged Irish Company after a management buy-out from General Electric in 1988. Today Ei Electronics is one of the most significant employers in Ireland’s Midwest.
A history of being first to market and 20 design patents to its name bear testament to the Company’s ongoing commitment to Research and Development. The suite of equipment in the new laboratory includes sound and anechoic (RF) test chambers, smoke test tunnels, and the latest 3D printing technologies. In addition, a substantial investment has been made in a wide range of ancillary test equipment.
